Some relevant news from Fire Chief Magazine

Spring Cleaning

from Mutual Aid by Janet Wilmoth

Even though in Chicagoland March is going out more like a wet cat than a lion, the turn of the calendar to April always inspires me to get organized. While cleaning up my desktop, I found several calls-to-action for the upcoming weeks.
Leather helmet. The deadline for the Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co. American fire service survey is March 31. Though only 10 participants will win collectible leather fire helmets, the survey ultimately will benefit all firefighters.
Danielle Cagan, Fireman’s Fund’s director of community relations, told me the organization plans to use the survey results to better educate the public on what the fire and emergency services does and how the economy is affecting fire departments.
Free equipment. Could your department use $5,000 worth of equipment for free? FEMSA now is conducting its Sixth Annual State of the Fire Service survey. In previous years, the chances of winning were one in less than 2,000.
Capitol trip. The 21st Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Seminars and Dinner will be held next week in Washington, D.C. The seminars are led by leading fire service and administrative officials, and the fund-raising dinner helps the Congressional Fire Services Institute educate Capitol Hill on the work of U.S. fire and emergency services and keep departments nationwide appraised of what’s happening in Washington.
If you make it to Washington, consider joining the CFSI Associates Club. You can support CFSI efforts (and receive a tax deduction) for as little as $25. Each level of membership receives different perks, and all levels receive annual reports of CFSI efforts on the Hill.
Research study. Dr. Lisa Lit and Dr. Julie Schweitzer of the University of California–Davis are examining occupation-linked traits in first responders. Their goal is to identify adolescents well-suited to first-responder careers. They have created a brief questionnaire to collect data for analysis. Participation in the survey is voluntary and confidential.
Scream for ice cream. The third Baskin-Robbins® 31-Cent Scoop Night will take place April 29 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. If your department is interested in a sweet fund-raiser that helps increase community support for your department at the same time, connect with a local shop today by going to or e-mail and ask to be matched with a Baskin-Robbins store.
New revenue. Phoenix Fire Department Deputy Chief Ken Leake is looking for other fire departments that are charging for response to auto accidents. If you have experience with auto accident revenue, e-mail Leake.

Another oldie

From the past, a training film, glad we don’t do like this any more, what were we thinking?

Mistakes from the past, Thanks to the use of accelerants in lighting some of these fires. This demonstration is at the South Park Fairgrounds in Allegheny County, PA.

NORTH CAROLINA FIREFIGHTER LINE OF DUTY DEATH-CARDIAC

Sunday, March 22, 2009

We regret to advise you that Salem VFD (Nash County, N.C.) Firefighter Greg Cooke has passed away in the Line of Duty at Wake Medical Center. Firefighter Cooke was operating at a woods fire several days ago and apparently suffered a cardiac arrest on scene. He was eventually transported by air to Wake Medical Center in Raleigh where he died in the Line of Duty, yesterday. Saturday, March 21st. As always, our sincere condolences. Here is their website: http://www.freewebs.com/salemvolunteer/index.htm

Federal LODD death Report

A federal report says the lack of fire department guidelines contributed to the accident that killed a fire captain.

http://www.wnep.com/wnep-scr-federal-report-critical-firefighting,0,7920073.story

Scranton Fire Captain James Robeson was electrocuted in January, 2008 when the bucket truck he was in came close to some high-voltage power lines.
A new federal report is now out and it criticizes the fire department and how it handled that fire.

The federal report listed six factors to the cause of Captain James Robeson's death, among those lack of training and procedures for fighting fires so close to power lines.
Fire crews were called to a home on Ash Street that went up in flames that day in January, 2008. A man and his wife died in that fire. Captain Robeson died fighting that fire.
The National Institute for Occupation Safety and Health investigated. Federal investigators reported that among other things, incident command was suboptimal. There were no standard operating procedures or specific training for that type of fire fight and there was a lack of verification over whether there was power in the line.
"Everything that was in that report was discussed with the city years before that incident happened last January. It's hard to take. It really is hard to take. Our guys work real hard. They do a lot of research," said Lieutenant Dave Gervasi, vice president of the Scranton firefighters union.
He said ever since Captain Robeson was killed, firefighters have taken their own steps to a safer workplace.
"So we've all been really watching each other's backs at this point. There's a lot of people within our structure that have stopped towers from going up before we knew things were off. This has happened four or five times since that happened. We're doing all we can. The city needs to implement the proper structure," Gervasi added.
Mayor Chris Doherty said the city was waiting for the federal report's recommendations to develop and enforce guidelines for all fire fights, especially those near powerlines, to ensure a safety officer is present and to consider all power lines live.
"You look at how you can make things better so you can prevent something like this from happening in the future and we will hope to implement all of the recommendations that they will give to us," Doherty said.
An attorney representing Captain Robeson's family said Robeson was a highly trained and decorated firefighter.

Joe Biden said Monday the Obama administration is committed

Vice President Joe Biden said Monday the Obama administration is committed to getting firefighters the equipment, training and additional staffing they need to do their jobs. They're not just puffed up platitudes," Biden told members of the International Association of Fire Fighters. "This is your new government taking bold action to ensure that as a community of firefighters you are as strong as possible."

Biden spoke to the group at its legislative conference in Washington. The association represents more than 292,000 full-time professional firefighters and paramedics.

"I understand we can't make an inherently dangerous profession safe," he said. "But we certainly can make an inherently dangerous profession safer than it is."

Biden said a lack of firefighters is putting the lives of other firefighters at risk. He said that would change with the new administration.

He also said President Barack Obama would sign legislation to give firefighters and other public safety officers the right to collective bargaining. The measure was stalled in the last Congress, and it is pending again this year.

Biden told the group that he and his family owe the first responders who saved his two young sons after a car accident in 1972. His first wife and infant daughter were killed in the accident. Both boys recovered fully.

"To you, it's a job. To us, it's our lives," he said. "And we owe you. And I just want you to know that it is something that everyone in my family fully understands."

From AP  Full text here from AP

News you didn’t know you needed

Mar 14, 2009 (2 days ago)

Lady puts tanning bulbs into pub lights.
People got sunstroke inside a pub - after the manager accidentally put in bulbs from a tanning machine.
Emma McLean replaced the blue strip lights behind the bar with high-powered ultraviolet tubes.
Unsuspecting workers and regulars stood underneath the lights for hours and some needed hospital treatment.
Barman Morgan Smith suffered severe burns to his neck at the pub in Buckie, Banffshire.
His sister Emma, 21, said: "He was really badly burnt and had sunstroke.
"He was all dizzy and couldn't see because of the brightness of the lights.
"His neck started peeling and was in a right state.
"Nobody could believe he got sunstroke from standing behind a bar."
"The lamps are only supposed to be used for a few minutes at a time.
.
Carpool Dummy Gets Ticket
You forgot to buckle up, the dummy!
A commuter who put a homemade dummy in the passenger seat to sneak into the car pool lane was caught Wednesday near Seattle. But it wasn’t because a cop realized the passenger was fake.
Instead, the State Patrol trooper noticed the dangling belt buckle on the passenger side and suspected a seat belt violation.
Patrol spokeswoman Christina Martin said that the driver acknowledged trying to beat traffic by using the HOV lane.
He created his passenger by draping a rain jacket over plasticpiping, topping it off with a Halloween mask of Gandalf, the "Lord of the Rings" wizard, a beard and a baseball cap.
The trooper issued a $124 ticket and confiscated the dummy.
.
Woman Puts Drugs In Boss's Coffee So He'll 'Chill Out'
A woman is in jail after police say she drugged her boss. Police say an employee from the Reynolds Road Animal Clinic slipped a Valium into one of the veterinarian's cups of coffee sending him to the emergency room.
Shortly after Dr. John Duckett had some, coffee he knew something was wrong. Employees at the clinic tell police they thought he was having a heart attack, but it turns out he had been drugged by one of his own. There are certain things you expect to find in your morning cup of Joe like sugar and creamer, but not drugs.
Veterinarian Dr. John Duckett knew something didn't feel right while working Tuesday morning at the Reynolds Road Animal Clinic in Bryant. That's when someone from the clinic called 911.
"He knew he hadn't taken any medication, he hadn't taken any prescription pills. He had suspected that he had been poisoned at his office," says Todd Crowson with the Bryant police.
Now 24-year-old Erin Kelly is behind bars after telling police she drugged Duckett because, "he needed to chill out." "She came in this morning and we talked with her and she ended up telling us what happened, pretty much confessing," Crowson said. "She actually admitted to putting a substance in his coffee which turned out to be a Benzodiapine." Benzodiazepines, like Valium, are tranquilizers. They can reduce inhibitions, typically used for reducing stress or anxiety. We're told Kelly worked at the clinic cleaning cages. Now she's in one.
VIDEO
.
Man Unwisely Tries to Rob a Tae Kwon Do Studio
A robber gets more than he bargained for when he targets a Tae Kwon Do studio in suburban Milwaukee.
The robber thought he could quietly slip in and out of David Kang's studio in Fox Point with some loot.
What he didn't realize is that he would encounter a Tae Kwon Do master who wasn't about to let him off the hook. Kang was giving a private lesson Tuesday and heard someone in his office. Kang found the man going through his closet, grabbed him by the neck and sat him down while he called police.
The robber took off and Kang gave chase, finally catching up with the man and holding him by the neck until police arrived.
.

Recommendations from a recent NIOSH report

Does Your Fire Department Stack Up Well? http://www.cdc.gov/NIOSH/FIRE/reports/face200718.html
Here are recommendations from a recent NIOSH report released on a Line of Duty Death. How does your department stack up?
ensure that fire fighters conducting an interior search have a thermal imaging camera
ensure ventilation is coordinated with interior fireground operations
ensure that Mayday protocols are developed and followed
ensure the Incident Commander receives pertinent information during the size-up (i.e., type of structure, number of occupants in the structure, etc.) from occupants on scene and that information is relayed to crews upon arrival
ensure that fire fighters communicate interior conditions and progress reports to the Incident Commander
develop, implement, and enforce written standard operating procedures (SOPs) for fireground operations

This from Firefighter Close Calls

HOMEBUILDER FOLLIES...Are Local Governments Caving In Even Further To The "Sound" Of Homebuilders?

 

-

(Sung to the tune of the "Lonely Goat-Herd" ....from The Sound of Music....a reminder video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzMWNEo8LbI
"New built homes ..they...seldom catch fire"
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo!
"Fire sprink-ler heads, go off accident-ally"
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo!
"Trusses can-not carry big, heavy sprink-ler pipes"
Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo......
"Residential sprinklers...DO mal-function"
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo!
"A pot cooking on-the-stove sets them off"
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo!
"...and cigarette smoke can act as triggers"
Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo......
(sorry)
ON A VERY SERIOUS NOTE....THIS IS A WAKE UP CALL:
Homebuilding associations across the USA are "on the road to city hall" with their latest attempts to stop residential fire sprinklers...and they are doing well. Virginia is getting nervous, Illinois is taking anti-sprinkler action, Texas is targeted, and well, you know about Minnesota.
Word is homebuilder associations are going directly to local elected officials (how 'bout that) and getting the politicians really, really nervous. Nervous about "high costs of housing" ..... "sprinkler systems going off" and other related truth twisted excuses fed to the "dwellers" by homebuilding association'ers.
Follies? Not sure what we mean? Read some of the comments sent to us from Dave Statter:
http://www.wusa9.com/news/columnist/blogs/2009/03/from-front-lines-of-residential.html
Of course, amongst us, there is COURAGE IN CANADA related to required residential sprinklers...
...and it is not ALL bad news....
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Business/Councillors+back+fire+sprinkler+plan+private+homes/1370323/story.html
While FD's across North America are fighting just to maintain basic levels of service, homebuilding associations are taking full advantage of their chance to show cities how to save money....by making residential sprinklers the root of the evil economic issues in our country.
Or something like that.
Wait just-a-darn-toot'n minute.....what if, maybe, just maybe...the housing/economic issues actually do have something to do with relations between some homebuilding associations, banks and unaffordable mortgages....
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo.
Oh, well, never mind that for now.
CONCERNED about homebuilding associations performing their follies to YOUR elected officials?
Organize here: http://www.ircfiresprinkler.org/
If not, it may be time to bid "FAREWELL" to required residential sprinklers.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwoPpqT9tSM

Questions About Supply Lines

Questions About Supply Lines

from Firefighter Hourly by Jay Lowry
The National Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System generates excellent questions for discussions. Consider the following questions as they relate to your department:
1. How much does one section of your department’s supply line weigh?
2. How many members are needed to hand stretch 500-600’ of your
department’s supply line? 800-1000’?
3. How long would it take to assemble the members needed to stretch
500-600’ of your department’s supply line?
4. What other options would you be able to employ to complete the
operation?
5. What is your department policy on using civilians to assist with
fireground operations?

Firefighter SFD Blog: Mexico Drug War, could we have a southern front?#links#links

Firefighter SFD Blog: Mexico Drug War, could we have a southern front?#links#links

Working Above Fire-Damaged Floors

NIOSH Publication No. 2009-114:
Preventing Deaths and Injuries of Fire Fighters Working Above Fire-Damaged Floors
February 2009 http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/wp-solutions/2009-114/default.html

Summary
Fire fighters are at risk of falling through fire-damaged floors. Fire burning underneath floors can significantly degrade the floor system with little indication to fire fighters working above. Floors can fail within minutes of fire exposure, and new construction technology such as engineered wood floor joists may fail sooner than traditional construction methods. NIOSH recommends that fire fighters use extreme caution when entering any structure that may have fire burning beneath the floor.
Description of Exposure
Fire fighters are at risk of falling through fire-damaged floors. Floors may fail within minutes of flame contact. Carpet, ceramic tile, lightweight concrete, and similar floor coverings may increase the danger to firefighters because of the added weight being supported by the floor system and the insulation these materials provide that may cause the floor to not feel warm, despite the fire underneath.
All wood-based construction materials are subject to failure when exposed to fire. Experimental studies and NIOSH investigations suggest that engineered wood floor systems may fail sooner than traditional sawn lumber floors. The difference in times to failure appears to be a matter of minutes, and fire fighters will seldom know how long a fire has been burning when they arrive on scene. Consequently, fire fighters must use extreme caution when operating on any flooring system potentially exposed to fire.
Engineered wood I-joists represent a rising technology in the building sector; they offer several advantages over traditional construction methods. Engineered wood I-joists are typically prefabricated using sawn or structural composite lumber for the top and bottom flanges (usually 1 ½ to 3 ½ inches wide) and plywood or oriented strand board (OSB) sheathing for the vertical web (3/8 to 7/16 inches thick) (see Figure 1). Engineered wood I-joists are lighter, stiffer, and will not warp, twist, or shrink like traditional framing materials.
Engineered wood I-joists also reduce total construction time and labor costs by their ease of installation.
Engineered wood I-joists have grown in use since the early 1990s and by 2005 were estimated to be used in more than half of all wood-frame construction [APA 2005]. Changes in the building construction industry driven by technological advancements and societal needs suggest that the use of engineered wood products will continue to grow.

Change clocks, change batteries

State fire marshal: Change clocks, change batteries
Pioneer Press
When you set your clocks ahead for Daylight Savings Time this weekend, change your smoke alarm batteries as well, the Minnesota state fire marshal said.
About 92 percent of U.S. homes have smoke alarms, but nearly one-third of them have dead batteries or batteries that are being using elsewhere. Alarms cut a person's chances of dying in a fire by at least half.
"When you remove those batteries, you're borrowing against your life," said Jerry Rosendahl, Minnesota State Fire Marshal, in a statement.
Daylight Savings Time begins Sunday at 2 a.m.

USFA Focus on Fire Safety
Change your battery. Change your smoke alarm batteries at least once a year - maybe at Daylight Saving Time or on your birthday. ...

Firefighting Rules

Firefighting Rules Not Found In IFSTA Manuals

from Firefighter Hourly by Jay Lowry


FIREFIGHTER'S RULE OF GRAVITY: Any tool, when dropped, will always come to rest in the least accessible place possible.
THE FIRST RULE OF EQUIPMENT: Any piece of firefighting equipment will never malfuntion or fail until you need it to fight a fire or the salesman leaves.
SECOND RULE OF EQUIPMENT: Interchangeable parts don't, leakproof seals aren't and self starters won't.
RULES OF WARNING DEVICES: The use of a siren on a firefighting vehicle while responding to a call will cause acute and total (but temporary) deafness to the drivers of vehicles in its path. The use of warning lights on a firefighting vehicle while responding to a call will cause acute and total (but temporary) blindness to the drivers of vehicles in its path. If you have just gone to the bathroom, no call will be received.
FIREFIGHTER'S RULE OF LIGHT: As the seriousness of any given situation increases, the availability of light to illuminate the situation decreases.
FIREFIGHTER'S THEORY OF WEIGHT: The weight of the equipment that you are about to carry increases by the square of the sum of the distance to reach the situation.
FIREFIGHTER'S RULE OF RULES: As soon as the firefighting rules are accepted as absolutes, an exception to that rule will immediately occur.

MILLERS CREEK, N.C. -- A firefighter died here Sunday

MILLERS CREEK, N.C. -- A firefighter died here Sunday after experiencing an apparent heart attack at a house fire.
William Gray Parsons, 58, was an engineer with Millers Creek Volunteer Fire Department.

FireNews.net - - - News and Information for North Carolina's Fire ...
The Histories of North Carolina's Fallen Firefighters .... Assistant Chief John Goforth collapsed and died of a heart attack on October 29, 1956. ...
North Carolina Firefighter Collapses, Dies - Firehouse.com In The ...

Texas — Firefighters on Thursday continued battling wildfires

Fast Moving Fires Burn Numerous Homes In Texas
ABILENE, Texas — Firefighters on Thursday continued battling wildfires across much of the hot and dry state, including a 1,200-acre West Texas blaze that reignited after being under control for a few days.
People were being evacuated and some ash was falling in parts of Abilene as the fire raced through Taylor County, threatening a dozen buildings, according to the Texas Forest Service.

from Firefighter Blog by mikeswebmail@gmail.com (Mike)
News from the Chron that fire has claimed up to a dozen homes in drought stricken Texas.Follow Twitter Search and Google News or InciWeb for updates.
Fire season never really ends. The Interagency Fire Center reports the 2009 year to date totals in the U.S. is 3,140 wildfires and 80,617 acres burned.
Over 5,200,000 acres burned in the U.S. last year.

LODD

Firefighters Memorial
Pierno, Ferdinando 'Freddy'
Age: 55
Cause of Death: Exposure
Rank: Firefighter/EMT
Nature of Death: Other
Classification: Career
Duty Type: Other On-Duty
Activity Type: EMS/Patient Care
Death Date: 02/25/2009
Fixed Prop. Use: N/A
Fire Dept. Info: Martin County Fire Rescue800 SE Monterey RoadStuart , Florida 34994Chief: Thomas M. Billington
Initial Summary: Firefighter Pierno passed away from a Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection he sustained while on duty

Funny, Very Funny, stick with it to the end

In case you haven't seen this video, it's hilarious, I am posting a link to it.

New tech

This is different. From a web site of a relatively new company a different type of fire equipment. Is this where we are heading. I could imagine the cost would go down as thees types of systems are developed if this takes off.

Here is some information on a small company which develops equipment to save the lives of firefighters. The story is worth hearing.
FireDrakeIndustries is a very small company but has a really big plan. The VP of this company is a member of Firelink and her spouse is Fire Captain in the state of CA. This tiny but mighty 3-man business was started by herself, a retired firefighter and a mechanical engineer. In only 9 months beginning in Oct of 07 their small team started the company from the ground up and created their first piece of life-saving equipment. They intend to create many more if they can make it. Like so many businesses, funding from private investors has dried up due to fear surrounding the economic conditions and are struggling to stay alive long enough to market this incredible tool for firefighters.
http://www.firedrakeindustries.com/